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Payback time for Lanus?

(FIFA.com) 20 Nov 2007

At a time when some of Argentina's older clubs are being
questioned for attempting to continue as civil, non-profit-making
associations, Club Atletico Lanus continue to show that it can be
done, and in some style. For more that 15 years now, the club from
the south of Greater Buenos Aires have been growing into a
prosperous entity thanks to the unity of purpose of its
members.

Now, all that Lanus need to show that a club can flourish with
suitable and well-intentioned people is a title. But it may not be
missing for much longer: with just three matchdays to go in the
Apertura Championship,
El Granate have a three-point lead over immediate pursuers
Boca Juniors. "We're very pleased with our campaign, but
the best prize of all would be to win the championship," said
coach Ramon Cabrero. However, having flirted with success many
times before, no one will be taking anything for granted just yet.
Read on to find out more...

Humble originsClub Atletico Lanus was founded on 3 January 1915 with the
merger of El Progreso and Lanus United, two clubs then struggling
for survival. The resulting entity was devoted to the practice of
football, tennis, croquet, aviation and fencing, among other
disciplines, although it was the first of these that soon captured
the imagination of the majority of members.

The origin of the club's garnet (dark-red) strip is less
clear, though it is generally accepted that the traditional shirt
colour was European in origin. The team's first ground was
right in the heart of East Lanus, where they would remain until
1929. On 14 February that year the fledgling club then moved to a
new stadium, quickly dubbed
La Fortaleza (The Fortress) because of the team's
formidable home record there.

Lanus took part in the first tournament of Argentina's
professional era in 1931, and would remain in the country's top
flight until 1949. On their return to the first division in 1956,
El Granate managed second place in the league championship
behind giants River Plate. So showy were that particular side, in
fact, that they earned the moniker the Globetrotters after the
legendary North American basketball team.

Rock bottom and backFor the most part, the 60s and 70s were years to forget for
the Buenos Aires club. Back-to-back relegations in 1977 and 1978
left them languishing in the Primera C, the country's old third
division. With debts of over a million dollars and a mere 2000
members,
El Granate were in real danger of going under.

However, like a phoenix from the ashes, the club found new life
and capped an extraordinary turnaround with a return to the Primera
B in 1981, by which time it boasted an impressive 10,000 members
and a much healthier set of finances. In 1986, Lanus ascended to
the newly-created Nacional B League, the rung below the
country's top flight. Officials at the club took advantage of
the improving fortunes to push membership past the 30,000 mark and
create the conditions for the next stage of development.

Unity above allUnder the tutelage of Miguel Russo, the same coach who today
is at the helm of Boca Juniors, the club's principal rival in
the race for this year's Apertura, Lanus made it back to the
country's first division in 1990 after a 13-year hiatus. That
same year work began on refurbishing their old wooden stadium, and
a sense of common purpose and unity took hold at the club. Not even
relegation in 1991 shook their confidence, with Russo staying the
course to bring them straight back up the following season.

By the time Hector Cuper took up the reins in 1995, players like
Ariel Ibagaza and Gaston Coyete (both U-20 world champions with the
Albiceleste at Qatar 1995) had successfully emerged from
the club's youth academy, helping Lanus to third place in the
league on two occasions. Paradoxically, while still battling away
for their maiden domestic title,
El Granate got their first taste of international success,
lifting the Copa CONMEBOL in 1996.

A year later, the mantle passed to Mario Gomez, an industrious
and unassuming coach who had hitherto been in charge of the B team.
Under his guidance, Lanus finished runners-up in the 1990 Clausura
with 40 points, their biggest points haul since the twin league
format was introduced. That campaign also put the club on the radar
of several big sides, resulting in the sale of top players for in
excess of 15 million dollars.

Instead of spending the proceeds on replacements, officials
realised the best way to grow the institution was to invest the
money in improving the infrastructure and youth academy. This
process was not without its setbacks, however, like in 2002, when
the club needed a play-off to preserve their top-flight status. In
spite of this, by 2003 the club had finished remodelling work on
their stadium, now one of the most modern in Argentina.

Paying dividendsIt was not until the appointment of current coach Ramon
Cabrero that the club looked capable of taking the next step. Born
in Santander, Spain, in 1947, Cabrero's family moved to Lanus
when he was just three. By the age of 14, he had made his first
appearance for the club, earning his first-division debut a mere
five years later. The Spaniard would later hone his coaching skills
with the under-age sides, where, apart from a brief spell in charge
of the senior team in 1984, he would remain until November
2005.

Then, finding itself managerless, Lanus handed the top job to
Cabrero, who, after promoting several promising youngsters from the
club's youth sides, led his squad to runners-up spot in the
2006 Clausura. As well as securing a berth in the 2008 Copa
Libertadores, Lanus figured prominently in the destination of that
year's Apertura, defeating Boca on the final matchday to hand
eventual champions Estudiantes a league-title play-off with the
Xeneizes.

It comes as no surprise therefore to see Lanus currently leading
the way in Argentina, and doing so with the help of home-grown
stars like Lautaro Acosta, a recent U-20 world champion at Canada
2007, and Diego Valeri, one of the country's most exciting
young prospects. In fact, of the 11 habitual first-team starters, 8
have come through the ranks at the club.

"Lanus play simple and unambiguous football that fans of
any club can enjoy. The team plays with character and have been
competing for top honours for two years now. We're very pleased
with our campaign, but the best prize of all would be to win the
championship," said Cabrero recently.